The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism joined hands with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Wednesday, on invigorating overseas promotion of Korean Buddhism.

The two sides will combine their human and physical resources to expand cultural exchanges related to Buddhism such as spreading traditional Buddhist cultural content overseas and inviting foreign dignitaries to Korea to experience Korean Buddhism.

The ministry and the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, an affiliate of the Jogye Order, held signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Templestay Information Center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul.

The Korean Culture and Information Service, an organization affiliated with the culture ministry, has so far carried out various collaborative projects with the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism such as templestay programs, temple food exhibitions, performances, lectures and hands-on activities through its 31 Korean Cultural Centers (KCC) overseas. In August this year, the KCC in Kazakhstan held a program including templestays and lectures and a chance to enjoy temple food. The KCC in France held a well-received templestay promotional event and briefing session in October.

Based on the MOU signed this month, the culture ministry plans to hold promotional events on Korean Buddhism and its culture next year in New York, Shanghai and cities in Russia and Germany. Plans for 2018 include Spain and Italy.

The MOU is a follow-up of the government plan last year to promote Korea's traditional culture and expand the role of the KCCs.

"So far, Korean pop culture such as K-pop and K-dramas have been popular overseas but through this MOU we hope to introduce our traditional culture, thereby contributing to the diversification of the spread of Korean culture," a ministry official said.